June 24 Blog

Brit-Bound-Blog

Issue #27…

This Sunday’s Meeting

3 p.m., this Sunday, First Presbyterian on College Avenue. Enter through the north doors and we’ll be in the fellowship room up the stairs and to your right.

I’m sure I’ll have your plane tickets by this time along with the names and addresses of the hotels where we’ll be staying. I guess all that leaves is packing your toothbrush and jumping onto the plane.

I’d encourage you to skim through the blog entries this week if you’ve not done so lately. I was a bit taken aback this week when one of our young travelers asked me, “What’s a carry-on bag?”

Changes..Changes…Changes…

As I’ve mentioned ad nauseum, “change” is not only the motto of both political candidates, but it’s the by-word of travel. We’ve had some changes. Since certain events simply don't happen on Sunday in many parts of the world, and because our schedule is tight, the following edits have taken place in our tour:

1) the schedule doesn’t allow enough time for the “Mystery Tour” option, so those of you who signed up will be refunded the money for that one. They’ll send one check to me.

2) River Dance does not play on Sunday night and on Monday most are scheduled for the Abbey Tavern so you’ll be refunded the River Dance bucks. Yeah, I know..I wanted to see that rascal, too. But hey, it’s all good and we’ll have a great time wherever we go.

3) Some of us opted out of the Loch Tour option in order to spend the day with Jackie Shores, a friend. There’s now a possibility that Jackie will be stateside due to her father’s illness. So…I’m checking with our tour consultant about us signing up for the Loch Tour instead.

More Money Matters…

This from Kathy Bernard, our tour consultant:

Based on the tipping guidelines (which can be adjusted at your own discretion based on service received) the amount to your courier would be $48 per person. The amount to your driver in Ireland would be $15 per person (given to him on Day 6 when he drops you off at Dublin airport), and the

amount to your driver in Scotland and London would be $18 per person, given the day before you leave to come home.

Remind travelers that they'll also want some cash on them for baggage fees. They should try very hard to not exceed one medium sized suitcase of 44 lbs or less.

If they check two bags, Delta will charge $25 for the second bag. Ryan air charges for any checked bag exceeding 33 lbs, so many will probably have to pay a fee at the Dublin airport. Packing light has always been an art form, but these days, not having that talent really costs the traveler, on the spot.

Please don't look upon this tipping as a “hidden charge.” Believe me, it’s standard practice in the tourism industry, although one that sometimes we Midwesterners have trouble understanding.

The Truth about London Taxis

From Bill Curry, re: an article in Budge Traveler magazine: London
Always take the city’s old-fashioned black cabs, which are licensed by the city, rather than the so-called minicabs that sometimes wait outside theaters, restaurants, and bars at night, says Scotland Yard spokesman Alan Crockford. In 2006, an average of 10 women a month were assaulted by the drivers of minicabs, according to the most recent data available from the London Metropolitan Police. Minicabs belonging to a car service are licensed, but even those cars are only legally permitted to pick up passengers who have called to make a reservation-they can not stop for people in the street. Contact the Transport for London office (011-44/20-7222-1234, tfl.gov.uk) if you want a list of licensed minicab company numbers, Crockford says.

A Tip on Ryan Air from Anne

Anne Wildrick passed along this bit of info regarding the airline hopping us to Scotland: Ryanair.com's worst fees are for luggage. Its free weight allowance on checked bags is about 33 pounds collectively. Whether you check one, two, or three bags, if their collective weight exceeds 33 pounds, you'll pay about $10.40 for each pound over the limit!) (about €15 per kilo, or the local currency equivalent; full fees listed here.)

And don't try to pool or share luggage within the same traveling party. That's a no-no. But you can try this Budget Travel tip, instead: Stick an empty duffel bag in your suitcase; if Ryanair tries to charge you extra, shift some of the weight to the duffel and use it as your carry-on bag (which Ryanair allows, given that it's a reasonable size carry-on).

June 16 Blog

Brit-Bound-Blog

Issue #26…

We’re Getting Closer!

In our classified ads department.. Fellow traveler Bill Curry ended up with one too many around-your-neck travel pouches and he’d like to sell his $25 L.L. Bean dark green neck pouch measuring 8 inches by 5 ¾ for 12 bucks. Contact him at gwcurry3@verizon.net if you’d like to purchase it. He can bring it with him to the meeting on June 29^th.

The Yarn Lady…

Although Janet Long has been accused of spinning many a good yard, this time it’s for real. She’ll be bring little tassels of yarn of the same color for you to put on your luggage and your carry-on. This way the big, healthy guys in our group can stand at the baggage carousel and grab the properly-yarned luggage without all forty of us trying to find a place at the trough. (And I know…we’ll undoubtedly run smack into a group with the same idea and the same color of yarn.)

At Our Final Meeting …

I’ll be sharing more materials with you.. specifically a Travel Handbook with lots of good information, plus a fact sheet on each of the cities we’ll be visiting. I’ve read them all and it’s good stuff. And since these “last minute reminders” will truly be in your hands at the last minute, I’ll pass a few salient points along to you now. I know, I know, much of this has been covered in previous mailings, but just to make sure…

--What to Pack in your carry-on: a change of clothing, toiletry items, contact lens kit, medicines, camera, all travel documents, books. And remember: carry your money on your person, not in your luggage.

---Look both ways before crossing a street! These folks don't drive on the correct side of the road and believe me, I never get used to this!

--Be sure to read the “tipping” information carefully. Let’s don't stiff our courier or our drivers.

---Remember than any liquids, gels or aerosols in your carry-on must be in containers that are 3 oz. or smaller. All such items are to be place in ONE 1-quart plastic bag zip-top bag. All lighters and matches are prohibited as carry-on items.

--Things to carry on your person: flight tickets, passport, cash, credit cards, foreign currency

--Be sure that your medicines are in their original containers.

--When you go through Irish Customs, they’ll likely ask you where you’re staying. Know the name of the hotel. (Yes, many travelers can’t remember, but it’ll speed things up and you might get an Irish smile if you know.)

---Please make lots of copies of your passport. Give one to your roommate, put one in your luggage, give one to anyone else on the tour, put one in your carry on. If you have to get a new one overseas, this will be invaluable.

---Unless you’ve had better luck than me with wake-up calls, I’d advise a travel alarm.

---Most travel info says “take three times the film you think you’ll need.”

---If you’re taking a wallet, please clean it out and leave all the unnecessary stuff at home. Do you really need your Sears card in a Sears-less Dublin?

---It’s a good idea to take a copy of your medical and eyeglass prescriptions.

---Carry your shoulder bag in front of you! If you think it looks dorky for group photos, then hide it behind your back during the snapping.

---And again, I urge you to tape a copy of your home address to the inside of your suitcase..and while you’re at it, why not place a copy of our group’s itinerary (the names of the hotels once we get them.) In case your tag gets ripped off, someone can open the luggage and find you.

Congrats to Nancy Bradbury on her 35^th year of putting up with Keith. They say they’re going to Ireland, Scotland, and England to celebrate.

A Secure Offer…

From Keith: “If anyone wants to bring a copy of their passports to the meeting on the 29th, I will keep a file of them at the bank as a backup. If we run into problems on the road, I can call the bank and have a copy faxed.”

Just an offer of added piece of mind.”

A Tip On Tipping

I’d reminded you in a previous newsletter that it’s customary to tip certain folks who help make our journey more pleasant. For those of you attending our final meeting, I’ll give you a sheet explaining this in more detail, but here’s the recommendations that are pretty standard throughout the tourism industry:

For our courier (guide): $4 per person per day. For our long-distance bus driver, $3 per person per day. You may of course tip in local currencies…any currency. For example, in the “euro zone” it amounts to 3 euros per day for the courier and 2 euros for the driver. In the England that translates to 2 and 1 pounds respectively. Restaurant gratuities are included in our trip price as are short-term gratuities to city bus drivers and local guides. (However if the local guide is really good, I usually slip them something extra…some are really worth it.)

June 2 Log

Issue #25…

Our Final Meeting Before Takeoff

June 29, 3 p.m. 1st Presbyterian in Jacksonville…

A Bit More News…

From the responses I received re: London theatre, here are the three picks I sent Passports in order of preference:

Our picks:

1) Billy Elliot

2) Jersey Boys

3) Avenue Q

Frankly, I’d settle for my 20^th pick in London theatre… and of course you’ll have a chance to buy tickets on your own to attend theatre on our other night in London. Kathy will get back to me on whether we'll get our first choice.

And a Special Tid-bit:

It’s not customary to know our courier’s name before we arrive at the airport, but I asked Kathy Bernard at Passports if she could pretty please 1) do her best to get us a great one, and 2) send me his name. She did.

We’ll be guided around the British Isles by Lawrence (Larry) Alexander. She says he’s forty-ish, he’s good at herding large groups with a sense of humor, and is a delightful guy. Her words to describe him: “Calm and Competent.” Who could ask for more?

The Official Weight Limit

I also learned from Kathy that we’ll be flying Ryan Air from Dublin to Scotland AND the luggage weight limit for Ryan is 33 pounds. That’s a three and a three. Any overage and you’ll have to pay extra. This varies from the 44 pound recommendation in the Passports information, but this applies to International carriers only. So… Toss out that extra pair of socks!

At The Risk of…

…losing a traveler, I thought I’d pass along this great email from Tammy Winters…

OH, I think the whole trip is going to be soooooo much fun!!! I can hardly wait! I have ordered my QVC carryon that Mary Jo and Bonnie told me that I needed. I plan to work on my new camera this week so that I can make it work for the trip! I purchased some new britches yesterday.(darn, I didn't loose the pounds I wanted to for this trip.... Maybe I need to try a month of Nutri System and I will be fine by July 3rd! I was really surprised that the flights are such good times!!! Catch ya later. Tammy

An Aging Group

We are now officially an “older” group as we no longer have high school students among our traveling ranks…Congrats to Erich, Wendy, and Hannah on their graduation from Triopia.

Name Dropping

Have you ever found yourself in a group of folks who are all talking about the same thing and you have no idea what’s being discussed? I’ll warn you… you might be in danger of that at three stops on our journey.

When in Dublin you’ll hear the name of James Joyce tossed up, down, and sideways across the river. If you’re not up on Mr. Joyce, a quick Google search will bring you up to date. His landmark novel, Ulysses, is usually named the best novel ever written in English. And although I was an English major, I’ve still never met anyone who’s actually read the whole thing. I’ve tried twice. If it’s in the heavenly library, I’ll give it a third try.

In Edinburgh, the local literary hero is Robert Burns. Again, a Google will bring you up to date on the Scottish poet. He wrote much more than Auld Lang Syne.

And of course when in Stratford, I assume you know who’ll they’ll be talking about..especially since the town probably wouldn’t be there were it not for young Bill.

A Wee Bit of Mischief from Kay W..

Mrs. Donovan was walking down O'Connell Street in Dublin when she met up
with Father Flaherty.
The Father said, 'Top o' the mornin' to ye! Aren't ye Mrs. Donovan and
didn't I marry ye and yer hoosband 2 years ago?'
She replied, 'Aye, that ye did, Father.'
The Father asked, 'And be there any wee little ones yet?'
She replied, 'No, not yet, Father.'
The Father said, 'Well now, I'm going to Rome next week and I'll light a
candle for ye and yer hoosband.'
She replied, 'Oh, thank ye, Father.'
They then parted ways.
Some years later they met again.
The Father asked, 'Well now, Mrs. Donovan , how are ye these days?'
She replied, 'Oh, very well, Father!'
The Father asked, 'And tell me, have ye any wee ones yet?'
She replied, 'Oh yes, Father! Three sets of twins and 4 singles, 10 in
all!'
The Father said, 'That's wonderful! How is yer loving hoosband doing?'
She replied, 'E's gone to Rome to blow out yer candle.'

(This is one of the world’s few clean Irish jokes. ..kb)

By the Numbers…

Conde Nast Traveler came up with this statistic that might be a comfort to any trembling travelers. If you fly around the world this summer, you will be 18 times safer than your friends who stay at home.

That settles it…I’m leaving home right now.

May 27th Issue

E and I......This is from a gig that "E" and I did for Habitat for Humanity. (Sorry, but this shot was taken just before she whipped off that conservative coat revealing the Las Vegas showgirl outfit, climbed on top of the piano and belted out the greatest hits from "Wicked." (Not bad for a Methodist on a Sunday.)

Issue #24…

Final Group Meeting

Etch the date into your calendar… Sunday afternoon, June 29^th, 3 p.m. in the fellowship hall of 1^st Presbyterian in Jacksonville. This will be our final rendezvous before taking off for Ireland and points east. If you are present at this meeting then I’ll give you your plane tickets on the date. If you know you won’t be able to attend, let me know and I’ll mail them to you.

It won’t be a long gathering…just spending enough time to answer any last minute questions and get our final bearings.

Please enter via the north entrance.

Our First Taste of the Emerald Isle

Our very first stop after landing in Limerick will be Adare. The little village tucked into the west side of Ireland, it’s often been the winner of the “Tidiest Town” award. (Cute title!) The Third Earl of Dunraven built a street with thatched cottages and well trimmed hedges at the gates of his early Victorian Manor in the 1820s, and this collection of “outdwellings” has become the present-day Adare. History had already endowed Adare with an exquisite backdrop to further please the eye - an ivied Norman Castle beside the river Maigue and the best collection of ruined medieval friaries in Ireland. These include a 13th century Trinitarian monastery, a 15th century Franciscan Monastery and a 14th century Augustinian Monastery.

Here’s a YouTube link that’ll give you a quick travelogue: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG9Yl7L9nxQ

Something Worth Checking Out…

Although I’ve talked a great deal about packing light, nephew Doug passed along one of the best sites I’ve seen on not only why you should do it, but how to do it.

http://www.onebag.com/

From The Horse’s Mouth…

And instead of plodding through lots of websites to discover what you can and cannot take onto the plane, why not simply go to the Transportation Security Administration’s website? Tsa.org

Show Time!

And any day now the Passports Tour office will be asking me what show we’d like to see in London (included in the price of our tour.) If you’re like me, any of them will be a thrill, but in case you’d like to email me a vote, here’s what’s playing this week (the musicals, anyway):

AvenueQ
BillyElliot
BloodBrothers
Buddy
Cabaret
Chicago
DirtyDancing
Divas
Eurobeat
GonewiththeWind
Grease
Hairspray
HighSchoolMusical
IntoTheHoods
JerseyBoys
Joseph
LesMiserables
MammaMia!
Marguerite
NeverForget
Oliver!
PhantomoftheOpera
SoundOfMusic
Spamalot
Stomp
TheHarderTheCome
TheLionKing
TheLordoftheRings
WeWillRockYou
WestSideStory
Wicked
Zorro

Issue 23, May 21st

Wendy starring in Privies & Party Lines, Romance & Rumble Seats

Issue #23…

Our Financial Scorecard…

We’re getting closer to economic security for Keith as only six folks have yet to pay for the bus fare to St. Louis and six have yet to send him the cash for the foreign currency.

A Bit Of Medical Trivia

Just in case you want to add this to your font of scientific knowledge… If you go in for an MRI, either take your pants off or take the credit cards out of your pocket. Mine are now toast.

Credit Card Warning…

Fellow-journeyer Bill Curry gave me an article from National Geographic magazine stating that some merchants now tack on an additional 1-3% surcharge if you use your credit card. (The darned Australians started it.) The good news: 1) Ireland is one country that’s passed legislation banning the practice, 2) debit cards usually aren’t subject to this charge, and 3) the practice is predicted to be totally banned by the end of 2009.

More Packing Tips from National Geographic…

Geesh..I remember my high school days when I only looked at National Geographic to see the cool non-outfits on the native women…

According to packing expert Susan Foster:

---PARE DOWN is the by-word. Do not plan to wear the same amount of clothing that you’d use for the same amount of days back home.

---Cross-pack. Put one change of your clothing in another travelers luggage in case your luggage ends up in Afghanistan. (Cool idea…and I’ll leave it up to Dude Wildrick to explain why he has a bra in his luggage.)

---Learn how to ROLL your clothing.

---Group toiletries into a freezer bag and put them in the center of your suitcase, bubble-wrapping if necessary.

---And here’s one from me: avoid taking a camera by buddying up with someone. When you get home, get doubles of their shots.

The Final Meeting

Some of you have inquired about a final group meeting before we take off. Yep, I plan to schedule one very close to our departure date. I’d like to have our tickets and times in hand when we meet again. And as before, for those of you unable to make the meeting, we’ll keep in touch.

Movin’ On…

Congrats again to Wendy, Erich, and Hannah on their upcoming graduation from Triopia. And it was good to see so many of you come out to enjoy their production of Privies & Party Lines, Romance & Rumble Seats. In case you’re interested, the text of the production can be found online at triopia.blogspot.com

Baggin’ It…

I came home one day this week to see the UPS had deposited two very large boxes of travel bags on my doorstep. Not needing 42 more pieces of carry-on luggage, I’ll be meting them out to you. (Okay, you actually own them.) They’re a stylish dark blue, can be used as a tote or a backpack, and come with straps to slip them across your back..(depending upon how low you wear and where God placed your back.) Bottom line: use them if you wish, give them away to a deserving nephew, or do what many folks do: fold them flat into your suitcase and take them with you for those days on tour when you just want to take a few things. I’ve passed a few out, Bill picked up a handful to distribute to local folks, and if I don't get yours to you before our final meeting, I’ll deliver it then or mail it to you.

More Later!...

May 15th Issue

Hannah & Erich in their Dueling Banjos face-off as they rehearse for Privies and Party Lines, Romance & Rumble Seats to be presented this weekend.

Issue #21…Wendy takes the stage as her cast preps for the final show of their high school career.

A Friendly Reminder…

Keith is still 8 people short in paying the $50 for our airport transport. Please speed it along to him as soon as possible. I have a birthday coming up in November and I want to make sure he has the funds to buy me a present.

In Case You Didn’t Know…

We have the world’s #1 most avid, fanatic and dedicated Beatles fan among our group. To avoid her embarrassment I won’t give her name, but she happens to be married to Dude Wildrick. So..in honor of the unnamed lady, I thought I’d pass along the word about a London two stores across the road from each other on Baker Street.. “The Beatles Store” and “It’s Only Rock and Roll.” Here’s the blurb:

“From clothing and bags, to mugs, lunch boxes and magnets, to miniature guitars, drum kits and figurines - be it kitsch or collectible, you will find your Beatles paraphernalia here.

Across the road at ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll’ the scope broadens to include the likes of Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Who and Pink Floyd, plus loads more.

Upstairs at the Baker St location, ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll’ has a Beatles gallery featuring original Beatles memorabilia, art, film & promo posters, autographs, photography and other rare Beatles items.”

Kay’s Pass-along

Kay Welsh passed along an interesting site in that it seems to narrow down the most popular London attractions. Log onto londonpass.com to view.

The Bucks Have Stopped Here…

I think Keith or I have contacted everyone, but the foreign currency has arrived at Franklin Bank and by now most of you have picked it up for Keith. I picked mine up on the way to play for a church service at Lake Jacksonville. Both Andrew and Travis were also at the service. When I showed the money to Travis, he said, “Oh come on. Where’s the real stuff?”

You can take the boy out of the country, but….

One Fine Guy…

Our sympathy and prayers to fellow traveler Wendy Love and her family. Wendy’s grandfather, Wayne Briggs, was simply one of the finest men I’ve ever known. I know that he and Grandma Judy were very excited when they heard that Wendy would be going to Europe this summer. Another of our group, Virgene Burnham, was also a great friend of Wayne and remains one of Judy’s closest chums.

They Even Have a Name for It

And I wish I could think of it. Psychologists have actually given a name to the strange affliction that attacks many travelers just before departure. Although the exact psychiatric term eludes me at the moment, it’s that insane feeling that you’ve just made a horrible mistake and shouldn’t be going. This was crazy! Why did I ever sign up? What was I thinking?

The good news: it happens to most folks. Just grin and say, “Wow! I’m normal!”

A “Short” Report

Okay, so I finally received my six-pack of “disposable underwear.” How can I describe these things? Think plasti-coated paper towel… think “Depends.” I tried on a pair and among other things found them to be opaque. Remembering how Mom always told us to wear our best underwear in case we were in an auto accident, I tried to figure out my travel schedule for the day.

In BRIEF, I gave one pair to Nick Stephens with a quotation from Huckleberry Finn where Huck says, “You go first, Jim. I’s skeered.” I tossed a second pair to Travis just as he was about to get to sing at church…thought he might get a whole new meaning of sanctification.

Cinco De Mayo Issue

Issue #20…

Irish Dreaming

Just for the fun of it, as you think about the trip, click on this link, close your eyes and dream a bit….

http://www.ziplo.com/irish.htm

Congrats to “Y”

One of our group, Y Nhu Pham, has her first big time job!...as an accountant for (I think I have the name correct) Midwest Cellular. AND.. her new employer is going to give her the traveling days off. Not bad for a new hire! Methinks Y laid on the charm…at least that’s how she handles me.

Your Euro’s Enroute

Keith’s ordered our Euros and pounds and I’m sure that as soon as they come in he’ll be contacting you.

From Keith: I will let each person know by email or telephone the amount they owe
and they can send me the money. After I have
received our payment from our travelers, those near by can pick up the currency at the bank, at my home or what ever arrangements we can make. I will hold the others and give it to them at our next get together.

Bob and Jan Chipman whale watching ..(a good ways north and west of London)

The “Longest Day”….

Just to prepare you a bit, July 3^rd will be one of the longest and strangest days of your life. You’ll rise early, get to the airport…wait… fly to New Jersey..debark…wait…get on a bigger plane to Shannon….sit…fidget…

All the while you’ll be asking yourself…where am I? What time is it? Is that really the Atlantic Ocean down there? Are they going to serve us any food? Is there still a line for the restroom?

In short, you’ll be delightfully discombobulated. The first day of a trip to Europe is sort of a fog of airport gates, seat assignments, and wondering if you left the iron on back home. By the time July 4^th arrives you may regret that General Washington ever won that war. It’d be so much easier if Great Britain were still right next door.

But…that’s the joy of getting there. If it was close and easy then everybody would be there. And, at the risk of repeating myself, here are some tips to get you through the day…

…Bring something to read but make sure it’s not very important that you remember it.

…Drink plenty of fluids. Despite recent efforts by the airlines to pump more moisture into the cabins, the air is still dry and dry air tires you. Don’t worry: not everything you take in at the altitude will need to be let out.

…Get a good night’s sleep on the two days before we depart then do your best to rest wherever you are..on the plane, in the airport, on the bus… Our goal is to be in good shape for Limerick’s tour.

…Think upon the long waits and sits as a good chance to know your fellow travelers. We really are a pretty cool bunch.

…Relax! We’re on vacation!

Two of our Chicago-area travelers as they explored Alaska last year. And no, Dublin won't be that chilly.

Check out the Outhouse

If you know me, you know I’m always promoting a play. This time it’ll be three of our travelers: Erich Nobis, Hannah Stephens, and Wendy Love appearing in Privies & Party Lines, Romance & Rumble Seats, a project of our Lincoln Land Community College Class. Erich, Hannah & Wendy along with five other classmates have logged over 200 hours interviewing “seniors” residents of Central Illinois about their lives and times growing up, falling in love, going to one-room school houses, dating, living through the wars and the Depression, etc. And another of our fellow travelers, Maxine Crawford, was among those interviewed.

It’s a great show and it’s free of charge. In case you’re interested in attending, here’s the schedule:

May 17^th, 7 p.m. Chapin Christian Church

May 18^th, 2 p.m. St. Peter’s Church of Arenzville.

News Bits from the Group….

---I’ve been hearing some interesting packing stories already…and a few choice ones from the spouses and relatives of our travelers .. I won’t share those right now.

---The ailing among us seem to be healing.

---I was politely read the riot act by a lady who called to sign up her grandson for the trip. When I told her that we’d passed the deadline she said, “Yes, but you can fix things like that, can’t you?”

---Maxine Crawford recently returned from her Texas tour.

It was a big day for the Stephens family as well as the rest of us as Hannah and Nick's mother Sheila (in the yellow) was awarded a top teaching award recently. (That's Jeff Stephens crowding into the picture in the foreground.)

A Word About Couriers…

That’s their official name… “courier.” They’re the person who’ll meet us at the airport in Shannon and will accompany us on the entire trip, securing our lodging arrangements, answering our many questions, giving directions, and generally being our guide to the trip. My guess is that he or she will be British. These couriers are an interesting lot…it’s a seasonal job for most of them so they’re often students or teachers.

I look back with much nostalgia at the various couriers we’ve had over the years… a very large German lady who was a pre-med student doing summer work. Built along the lines of a German tank, Elga followed the old European tradition of not shaving her legs. When she put on hose her legs looked like a map of the Ozarks. ..and when she raised her arm to point out a landmark..well… the Ozark was well-foliaged. Elga spent our entire trip through Italy shouting at our Italian bus driver, a hapless old fellow who understood neither English nor Elga’s German. I think he was being paid by the hour and saw no need to rush anything.

Then Champaign Dave, our guide to the Soviet Union. They seemed to know him everywhere we went and we found that his nickname was well-earned.

One of my favorite couriers was a theatre director from London….cool guy. He often diverted us from our scheduled itinerary because he had a better idea. We got a tour of the Royal Shakespeare Company on the Thames that was much better than any guide we could have hired for the day.

Then there was our little Spanish guide to London, Paris, and Madrid. About four feet tall, Gracia could bully her way through any hotel system and wrestle any bus driver.

Linda, an Irish girl who was our tour guide to London…clueless but sweet.

And of course there’s a string of couriers whose names I’ve long forgotten..but our favorite was Richard Taylor, a Brit from Brighton, England. He’s been our courier on two different tours and I’m now the godfather of his middle child, Freja. Needless to say, our relationship has been quite wonderful over the years and he’s been over here to visit us a few times on Thanksgiving. I’d try to get him again but he’s a flight attendant for Virgin Airlines and his wife works for Swiss Air. Richard’s been twice-voted the top blues harmonica player in Great Britain and when he interviewed at Virgin, he played his harmonica. (Virgin Airlines is always looking for something off-the-wall, and that’s Richard.)

On one hand, some of our trip’s success depends upon the skill and personality of our courier…and on the other hand, we’ve never had a bad one. …hairy armpits and all.

They usually “jump companies” during the tour season, switching their “Passports Tours” coat for an “EF” or a “Globus” outfit between tours. Not terribly well-paid and depending a great deal on tops, but they do have what must be an enjoyable job.

Not to worry you..but this is fellow journeyer Erich Nobis being hauled off on a stretcher, a part of his LLCC theatre class's accident reenactment. And you think you have rough days? He had to spend the morning strapped to this thing.

Hey! You getting excited? I am!